Itsuwari No Seijaku O Kowashite
by Nick Seiki
Summary: Setsuna'a past.
1. Default Chapter

The beginning of part I   
The girl stood pensively, looking around the throne room for someone who would argue for her rights. She only saw her tormentor and the royal guard, the men in the same color as those that took away her life. It was truly unfair. She looked into the blue ehai of her captor and almost started crying. She stood before the swirling mass of colors that constituted the portal and took a hesitant step forward. She looked at her ruler one last time and wondered in her head, 'What did I ever do to you Selenity- Sama?'   
***********************************************************************   
Two Years Prior, on a planet currently at war with the Silver Millennium   
A little girl with purple hair matted with blood sat on a cot, watching warily as the people passed by her. The nurses came by and took one look at her and just continued walking shaking their heads. It was a common occurrence here. They all looked at her oddly, just because she did not remember who she was. It was unfair to her. She could not help that she could not remember; such was just the case.   
The girl with the light purple hair stood up and walked around. She knew that she could not possibly stay there forever. Taking a look at the city that surrounded her proved that. The city was in ruins. Soldiers of the Silver Millennium had come and destroyed the city because the people had thought that they could overcome the Silver Millennium and take its power. They ended up paying with the lives of most of their citizens. This left a lot of orphans.   
The girl waited until nightfall to return to bed. She knew that she wouldn't fall asleep. Such was impossible. The screams of the wounded, the moans of the dying and the laughs of those that put them all here kept her awake. The men in the dusty brown that signified all that she hated, the men that took away her family.   
***********************************************************************   
POV change, first person, the same time period, the same planet   
I've been here for about a week. It's so uncomfortable here, all the people that come to stare at me. The insipid nurses that try to tell me that everything will be all right. I laugh at them and tell them to look around. Any parents that I might have had would not look for me because the chances were that I would be dead. And even that is improbable because they are most likely dead. The only place that could bring back my memories was destroyed. They look at me sadly and give me a pathetic smile. They tell me that everything will be all right where I'm going. They tell me that the Goddess of the Moon will protect me.   
***********************************************************************   
The Silver Millennium, Sixth months later   
I've been here for about sixth months. Everyone is nice, not nearly as bad as I had first anticipated. Queen Selenity- Sama isn't the evil person that I thought she was. She has sacrificed a lot for her kingdom.   
Selenity- Sama has taken a liking to me. I think it's mostly out of pity though. She sent for a doctor from Mercury to check on me. The only thing that the doctor could really tell me was that I'm eight years old. I still haven't gotten my memory back, and no one thinks that I ever will. That's not quite as bad as people think it is. Its kind of advantageous, if you think about it. I won't ever remember my family, so I won't feel sad for losing them. I can't really grieve over something that I don't remember.   
I'm not the only child here. I am the only the orphan here, though. The rest of the children are training to be guardians for her majesty's daughter, Selenity- Sama. It kind of gets confusing, all the heirs having the same name, but everyone else seems to be okay with it so I don't say a word.   
*************************************************************   
POV change, Selenity.   
I sit there, listening to my council talk to me about random things. Mostly about the danger that SailorPluto is in. I know that myself, but what can I do? I think that she is more equipped than anyone is, because she is of the blood of Chronos. The last few people that we had sent to the Time Gate went insane in a matter of weeks. And that was our problem, we had to find the real SailorPluto, because no replacement would survive. I remember the day that she had been found. The council had been ecstatic, and so had I. She was a once in a lifetime find. More than that, a once in a millennia or more.   
A girl with Dark green hair, and red ehai kneeled in front of me, the person that had brought peace to the universe. She gave a hesitant smile and reached for the henshin stick in null space. She said a silent incantation and there stood SailorPluto in the girl's place. She took the Time key from me and almost fell down. She stood up and tried again, managing to keep her balance. With the Time Key in her hands she walked toward the portal to the Time Gate that would be eternally in my throne room. With each step she took she grew in confidence and by the time she reached the portal she was virtually running, and with a leap and a barely audible "yatta!" she was gone. To most likely never see the light of the sun against the blackness of space.   
*************************************************************   
POV change, third person. Later that week   
" But Queen Selenity- Sama, even you think that she's the perfect choice."   
" She may be perfect but I don't want to send her there. It's inhumane!"   
" And sending Pluto- san there wasn't?!?"   
" It's not the same. Pluto- san was born to be the Guardian of Time. Seishi- chan would be chosen to go there and she wouldn't have any natural born abilities to help with the transition."   
" So you feel fine about leaving Pluto- san there all alone?"   
" NO!"   
" Then why are you doing this. Is this because you have a closer connection to Seishi- chan than you had to Pluto- san?"   
" NO!"   
" Then dare desu ka?"   
" It's because she has no one. She already partially blames us for the death of her parents, we just about took everything from her."   
" Even more reason to send her. She has nothing to lose."   
" Are you that heartless?" " Are you that heartless?"   
" no. I'm not. But I don't want to force this on her. I want it to be her decision."   
" Very well then, Queen Selenity- Sama."   
***********************************************************************   
After another six months   
The advisors to Queen Selenity have summoned Seishi to their chambers and are talking to her about the affairs at hand. Seishi is now ten years old and is surprised by the sudden change in procedure. The queen's council had never called her. She sat at the end of a monstrous oak table. All the council sat there staring at her. They began to talk and Seishi could only listen.   
" Seishi- chan, you're here because we need to talk to you about something of great importance."   
" Seishi-chan, its necessary for someone with your abilities to take a post for the queen."   
" Remember, this is of the greatest importance."   
" It has taken us a very long time to find that you were the perfect candidate." " Am I really?"   
" hai, Seishi- chan. You are the most qualified."   
" And Queen Selenity - Sama wants this for me?"   
" hai, she also thinks that you are perfect for this. She was the one that actually realized that you were perfect for this."   
" So Queen Selenity- Sama wants this, she approves?"   
" hai, we couldn't do anything without her approval first."   
" You would be doing Queen Selenity- Sama a big favor. You would be remembered for your service."   
" Maybe even revered."   
" Honto Ni?"   
" hai."   
" Then I'll do it. Whatever Queen Selenity- Sama needs of me I'll gladly do. I want her to be proud of me. She has helped me so much, this is the way that I can show my gratitude."   
***********************************************************************   
POV change, Seishi.   
It took me a while to find out just what the queen wanted of me. The council was so secretive. They almost told me that it wasn't my business. I guessed that it must be very important if they won't tell me what it is until the last moment. I'm really proud of myself. This is the best way to make sure that I won't be forgotten like so many other people. And if my parents are still alive, then they can be proud of the daughter that they lost.   
***********************************************************************   
Three weeks later.   
I don't believe what they're doing to me. They finally told me this post that the queen needs me to fill. The Time Gate?!?!? That is the most horrible place that they could send me. Why there? What did I do? Does the Queen hate me so much that she finds it necessary for me to be so far away? Desu ka because they need me to be away, because of my past? I don't remember who I am, but I came from a place that tried to conquer the Silver Millennium. Is that why?   
***********************************************************************   
Later that week   
The girl stood pensively, looking around the throne room for someone who would argue for her rights. She only saw her tormentor and the royal guard, the men in the same color as those that took away her life. It was truly unfair. She looked into the blue ehai of her captor and almost started crying. She stood before the swirling mass of colors that constituted the portal and took a hesitant step forward. She looked at her ruler one last time and wondered in her head, 'What did I ever do to you Selenity- Sama?'   
The end of part I  
  



	2. Chapter 2

The beginning of part II   
A swirling mass appeared and disappeared, but not before a girl with light purple hair and light red ehai stepped into the area. The girl looked around her. There was no one there. The Time Gate stood without any visible support. There was a constant change of colors in the area, but it stood toward the purple pink side.   
Seishi walked toward the door of her new home. Then, before she could realize what was happening she was on her back with the business end of a staff pointed at her head. At the tip of the staff was a jewel, red as blood. It began to glow as the protector of the Time Gate spoke.   
" Who are you and what are you doing here?"   
" Meiou Seishi desu. I'm here by orders of Queen Selenity- Sama."   
" Queen Selenity- Sama sent you?"   
" hai. Now can you get off of me?"   
" no. How do I know you're not lying?"   
" Usagi."   
" Nani?"   
" Usagi. Queen Selenity- Sama said to tell you 'Usagi' and that you'd know what to do."   
" She told you that?"   
" hai."   
" Okay, Seishi- chan. What are you here for?"   
Pluto let her guard down. Queen Selenity had told Pluto that if ever an intruder came that knew the password, "Usagi", then they were to be trusted. Seishi stood up and Pluto got a chance to look her over. The girl was just a little younger than her fourteen years. She had purple hair that hung loose. Her ehai were a little lighter than her own. The girl was also kind of tall. Still shorter than Pluto the girl was still taller than most people her age.   
" Pluto- Sama..."   
" Sama?"   
" hai, you are very important."   
" I am?"   
" hai."   
" If you say so."   
" As I was saying, I'm here by order of Queen Selenity- Sama. She has decided, along with her council that it would be wise if you weren't left all alone. This way you have someone to talk to or something."   
" They said that?"   
" hai."   
" And you were sent here?"   
" hai."   
" By choice?"   
" no. I didn't want to be here. I was pretty much ordered."   
" Well, that's good..."   
" Nani?"   
" Not that you were ordered that I have someone to talk to. It get lonely here."   
" I could imagine."   
***********************************************************************   
POV change, Pluto.   
Seishi- chan is really quiet. Actually more withdrawn than I am. I've tried too many times to talk to her, but she refuses and just leaves to somewhere else. I think that she blames me for her being here. I don't really want her to be mad at me, but I also don't want to be alone.   
***********************************************************************   
After sixth months   
Seishi- chan has been really distant towards me. I think that everyday she withdraws even more. If that is even possible. The queen sent for me a little while ago. She told me that the current planet senshi were dead and that their successors were being found. I had to be away from the Time Gate for a time and that left Seishi- chan alone for two months. When I got back she was staring at the time stream and checking up on things. While I watched her she was making sure that everything ran smoothly. She made a few beginner mistakes, but will get better after I teach her.   
***********************************************************************   
A full year later   
Seishi-chan has gotten better at guarding the Time Gate. She's not as isolated as before, she actually spends time with me. She talks to me after I get back from the "realm" as she calls it. She wants to hear all the things that are happening in the Silver Millennium. She got a little sad when she heard that the senshi died. Really got sad when she heard that the outers had died. I guess she felt that she had a connection to them somehow.   
Seishi- chan has gotten a little easier to deal with. She doesn't hate me anymore. She realized that if she was going to survive living for an eternity with someone that she might want to get along with them. Queen Selenity- sama has told me that as soon as Seishi- chan turns 20 that I should bring her back to the palace so she can make sure that Seishi- chan doesn't age past that. I guess that it is good because I won't age past that so it's good for both of us. Except that immortality is not a goal of Seishi- Chan's.   
***********************************************************************   
POV change, Seishi. Seishi is twenty years old, Pluto is twenty-four.   
This isn't so bad. I can handle this. People don't change that much. It has been ONLY TWELVE YEARS! I think that I can handle this. People aren't evil there. Maybe Queen Selenity but no one else. The princess is good. Or rather the Queen. It's weird. The queen that I know isn't in power anymore. Her daughter is. The one that was smothered by the planet senshi. I have to go to the palace; at least Pluto- chan is going with me. That is a good part. I like her; she is a little more isolated than I am. I think. She does get to leave the Time Gate every once in a while.   
***********************************************************************   
At the palace   
The queen was so formal. Almost no friendly matter in her. It's almost funny. The queen has said that Pluto- chan and I could stay here for a while. It's nice. The varying colors, everything isn't this mass of swirling colors. I had almost forgotten what Earth looked like. It is so pretty floating in the sky. And the sun against the blackness of space. Pluto- chan makes sure that she sees me everyday. It is almost as if she were afraid that I was going to leave. But I know that I cannot forget her. I couldn't leave her. She is my only true friend.   
The truth behind the matter is that she is the only person that I can trust. This is a very unfortunate event because I know that she will not always be there. She is allowed to leave the Time Gate in times of extreme emergency, or by orders of the queen. I cannot leave because I am under no true obligation to be there. I do not quite mind anymore. I used to blame Pluto- chan for my being isolated but I realized that she had as much choice in being there as I did, which is to say, none.   
I have spent my time in front of the time stream learning about the past. I have Pluto- chan test me to see if I have truly become a master of a particular period. For some reason, Pluto- chan seems able to remember everything without actually trying. This annoys me to no end. I have some control over the time stream, not much. It will show me what I want to see, but it will not show me if there is a tear in the integrity. That does not help Pluto- chan much. She still believes that she needs to stay by the gate to fix any problems that may arise.   
I started to learn how to control it, but Pluto- chan for some reason stopped trying to teach me. I think that Selenity- Sama told her to stop. That doesn't bother me, I only think that it would have been better if Pluto- chan had just told me. I don't like the fact that she feels comfortable keeping secrets from me. I thought that our friendship meant more to her than that.   
***********************************************************************   
POV change, Pluto. Still at the palace   
Queen Selenity- Sama has finally made Seishi- chan immortal. Well, not exactly. She can die but not of old age. She'll stay the same age forever. Just the same as me. I suppose that is for the best. It would be hard saying good bye. She truly is my only friend.   
We are going to go back to the Time Gate in about a month. The queen thinks that it would be best if Seishi- chan spent some time outside of the Time Gate, and I have to stay since Seishi- chan refuses to go anywhere without me. I think that I like it that way, now she won't leave, not of her own volition anyway.   
***********************************************************************   
POV change, Seishi. Ten years later   
The time is perfect for a party. The queen called us for a party in the name of her daughter, Serenity- Sama. Finally a child with a name besides Selenity, I was starting to get confused. There are too many of them. Pluto- chan seems to think that she should stay here. She knows that something is going to happen soon, she just doesn't know what. She told me to not go to Earth. I don't know. I actually was going to go to earth, except now I'm afraid to. Pluto- chan never gives any advice like this. I half feel like telling everyone to be wary of the terrenes but I hold my tongue. It is one of the rules that Selenity- Sama had given me. And I dare not break one; she told me it was for my own good.   
I think I actually want to stay here. Pluto- chan isn't going, although she is going to speak to the queen about something. I don't know, maybe I should go, I mean it's the future queens fourteenth birthday. I think it's a special time. I did spend my fourteenth birthday here, with Pluto- chan. And all my birthdays after that. Pluto-chan looked in to the stream and saw that I as born in the summer. She told me a little about my past, until I told her to stop. It is easier if you don't remember.   
I learned a while ago that you couldn't look at the Time Stream to find events that deal with you directly or indirectly. Pluto- chan says that she gets a feeling of extreme uneasiness. She knows that she can sometimes be wrong, but she truly does feel that this time something is going to happen and that it will involve the people of earth.   
***********************************************************************   
POV change, Serenity. In the palace of the Silver Millennium   
Earth is hanging in the sky above the moon. The palace looks so full of life. It truly is sad that Seishi- chan and Pluto- san can't make it. I know that Pluto- san warned me about people from earth but it can't be that bad. I know that Serenity- chan has fallen in love with the young Endymion- san, but it cannot be bad enough that Pluto would become uneasy about it. Well to be sure I did have the guards stay on the watch for any threats, including the outer planet senshi. They are on call. If anything happens then everyone will be protected. How could any enemy build a fortress so close to their foes and not be found out? no, Pluto is wrong about this. Endymion- san is not a problem and neither are the people from his planet.   
***********************************************************************   
POV change, third person. Later that week, still in the palace of the Silver Millennium.   
The party is going fine. Serenity is wandering about the palace, a little bored with the whole thing. She wanders into the garden and she looks up to the earth longingly.   
"Endymion..." "hai, Serenity." "Endymion!"   
The two run up to each other and kiss. They talk for a while before guard's chase off Endymion. Serenity goes back to the party. As she descends the staircase her hand is taken. Looking at the person that dares to try such a thing she smiles as she realizes that its Endymion, with a mask covering his ehai. As he leads her to the dance floor he begins talking to her. He tells her about the problems on Earth, and that he may have to leave for a while. She leans her head on his chest and continues to dance, trying to tune out the horrid story that he is telling her. They eventually go to a balcony and talk in private.   
At the head of the ballroom, Queen Selenity sits on her throne watching all that proceeds. She watches as her daughter and Endymion walk away to talk to each other. 'Is their relationship so bad as to set the senshi on guard?' The queen is about to go tell her quartiers remove the call for an "on guard" but is interrupted by the sound of two cats running out of breath through the ballroom.   
"The dark kingdom is attacking! The dark kingdom is attacking! "   
The queen starts up, running to her daughter and at the same time the planet senshi do the same. They catch up to see the princess throwing herself onto Endymion's sword to kill herself. Endymion is dead in the background. Serenity's blood floats in the air as the bodies are levitated toward a specter in the sky.   
A battle begins that the queen had not truly anticipated. Her soldiers were soon over come as were the senshi. They each died by hands of the generals from earth. Endymion's guard and the planet senshi's lover.   
The queen realizes that there is no true way to win this war, and so she calls upon the outer planet senshi. They all come, including a sad looking Pluto. When the queen sees her she immediately says:   
"Gomen ne, Pluto- san. I didn't believe you. I didn't heed your warning and this is what happened. Maybe I can still right things."   
Then Selenity ordered the three remaining senshi to call upon the senshi of death and rebirth, SailorSaturn. The senshi call upon her and with three words she destroys the Silver Millennium and all its remnants. She also destroyed the enemy, and then she died because that was her course in life. The sacrificing soldier. The outer senshi watched as the queen played through a course of events in her mind. If she were to let the power of the ginzuishou loose then she could save her daughter and everyone else from the kingdom. If she were to do that, however, then she would also save the dead dark kingdom. But it truly was the only way that she could save her daughter. And then if she were to do that then she could trap the dark kingdom, making it impossible for them to get out.   
The queen opened her ehai with a look of determination across her face. This would be one thing that she could not fail in. She looked up to the outers and told them her plan. SailorUranus and SailorNeptune let their hands intertwine, for they knew that anything else would not do justice to what they wanted to tell each other. They simply looked into each other's ehai and a world of love was instantly communicated. Pluto looked to the queen:   
"Don't send me." "Nani? You don't want to rest, this will give you the chance to maybe live a normal life when you're reborn." "I don't want a normal life. I want to stay and watch the time stream. Such is my duty; I dare not stray from that. It is necessary that someone be there that can handle an emergency. And besides, who will awaken the senshi?"   
The queen relented and sent Pluto back to the time stream. Pluto watched from the safety of another realm the course of events. All the senshi, the inhabitants of the Silver Millennium and sadly the Dark Kingdom where sent to the far future where they could hopefully live a normal life.   
The end of part II   
  
  
  



	3. Chapter 3

The beginning of part III   
I came back to the Time Gate with a heavy heart. My queen was dead, her kingdom dead; everything that I knew is dead. Well, almost everything. They have yet to take away my best and only friend. And thank the Kami for that. If I were to lose her then I would totally go crazy. How could I work knowing that all my hard work wouldn't affect anyone? Oh, hai, it would affect all the people in the realm, but what good would that do for me. I want someone to be grateful. Someone that realizes that I truly am a sacrificing soldier. And that I would not change anything about my life so far for anything.   
Honto, I may be happier if I had other friends but I want to keep the one that I have. She is the one that is always there for me. Seishi- chan. The only person that may truly care for me for who I am, not what I can do. She almost has the same powers that I do. Even, she does get migraines if she tries to control the time stream too much. Control over it cannot be learned, so I think that she was born with the power. And if that is true then maybe she was destined to be my friend.   
I walk to the Time Gate and see Seishi- chan standing by the pool of water that constitutes the time stream. I can see it swirling from here. I also see the beads of sweat on Seishi- Chan's forehead. She's concentrating. She's probably just now seeing what the queen is doing, if she can see it at all. I look over her shoulder and sure enough, the destruction of the Silver Millennium and the sending of everything to the future to be reborn at a peaceful time. I'm about to put my hand on her shoulder when I notice that she's crying. I begin to wonder why; she never really was close to anyone there. Maybe because it was the only thing that she ever knew besides here or maybe it's because of me. She wouldn't have been able to see that Selenity- Sama didn't send me, that would be too close to her own path. She wouldn't have been able to see that. Is that why? Could it truly be that she cares that much?   
I walk up to her and put my hand gently on her shoulder. She's still a little shorter than I am, she's taller than most people are, and I'd say around 5' 5". Her purple hair flies around as she turns to face me. When she sees me her ehai go wild as the relief washes through them. She turns her ehai to look at me, to make sure that I'm really here, and I can see that her red ehai are pink through the shedding of tears. She wraps her arms around me and talks in broken sentences, and sole words. Nothing she's saying makes any sense, but I know what she's trying to verbalize. I hold her as she cries, her sobbing making both our bodies shake.   
"I thought that she sent you."   
"idiot, how could I leave my best friend all alone. The whole point of you being here is that so the person guarding the Time Gate won't go crazy because of the isolation."   
"So you didn't go because of me?"   
"hai, I told you, your my best friend, there is no way that I would leave you. If you didn't know that by now you haven't been paying attention."   
"Then it's true?"   
"Nani?"   
"We're alone here. No one knows where we, who we are, nothing about us."   
"Why do you say that?"   
"Because, if the Silver Millennium doesn't exist, neither do the senshi. If the senshi don't exist you don't."   
"Demo, I do exist."   
"Not to anyone in the other realm."   
"We're all alone?"   
"hai, just the two of us until the other senshi are reborn. And we don't know when that will be."   
"Well, maybe you don't but maybe I can coax the stream to give a little hint."   
"Can you do that?"   
"Only one way to find out."   
***********************************************************************   
POV change, Seishi.   
I can't believe that she's actually here. I'm afraid to close my ehai because then she might disappear. I hadn't realized how close we had become until I realized that she might not always be here. Just because we don't age doesn't mean that we can't die. The other senshi proved that. I started crying because I thought that she had left me. I truly thought that she would have left me here. Or maybe not have even realized that I would be left here all alone. It's amazing that she thought more of me than her own happiness.   
As she looks to see when the senshi are going to be reborn I look her over. I hadn't noticed so many things about her. I suppose you don't realize how much something means to you until you're about to lose it. How does that saying go, I don't quite remember. Maybe later I'll look for it. Pluto- chan probably knows it.   
" I found it, Kami- Sama..."   
" Nani yo?"   
" In one thousand years."   
" Nani? That long? What are we supposed to do here?"   
" I don't know. I mean besides guard the gate there is pretty much nothing to do but wait."   
***********************************************************************   
A little while later.   
Pluto- chan is realm side today. She decided that it's best if she keeps updated on how the terrenes are doing. There seems to be no evidence that the Silver Millennium ever existed. I guess it's up to us to keep it in our memories so that beauty never dies.   
I decided to look up that line today. Going to the time stream I ask a simple command and it shows me the whole original text. Too bad it's in old lunar. That is like hieroglyphics. That takes me a good long time to translate. And the work is truly appreciated; it's something to do against the otherwise monotonous days.   
"Because this is love, and you never fully under stand it until you've lost it... or are about to."   
I didn't think that that was the entire case. Okay so maybe you don't understand love until you're about to lose it, but there are other things, ne? I mean simply because I didn't realize that I cared so much about Pluto- chan until I thought that she was dead, doesn't mean a thing. I can just appreciate her company and not fall in love, ne? I mean what if she doesn't feel the same? She is the only person here. And an eternity alone would be hell. no, I don't love her, which would just make my eternity harder to handle...   
***********************************************************************   
POV change, Pluto.   
I'm realm side today. I told Seishi- chan that it would be best to keep an eye on the terrenes. While that is true, that's not the reason that I'm here. I needed to get away from her. Its nice her always being there for me, but I can never forget that she isn't here of her own volition. She was forced to be here, with me. And I have to remind myself that she wasn't crying for anything other than the reason that she thought she would be alone. I would have cried too. And I never cry.   
The terrenes remember nothing of the silver millennium. I suppose without the evil energy none of then would remember what they were forced to do. So Seishi- chan and I are the only ones remaining that remember the glory of the Silver Millennium. No one recalls the senshi, so I won't be remembered. Maybe that's all good. Maybe without the responsibility I won't have to stay by the gate all the time. Surely the queen wouldn't expect me to stay there for all of time. And without her to tell me that I can leave I should be able to take my own liberties, you know take a vacation or something.   
But that would be leaving Seishi- chan all alone. The queen did order her to always stay by the Time Gate. Unless she said otherwise. And now she's not here. I can leave in times of great necessity, but not her. What constitutes necessity? Is stress a reason? Should I really be thinking of reasons to leave Seishi- chan? hai, idiot. If you don't she'll start to hate you. But if you leave she'll hate you because of that. But if you don't she'll realize that you love her. And if that happens she'll hate you because of that, and then you'll be all alone...   
***********************************************************************   
POV change, third person. Ten years later, the Time Gate   
"This is so boring."   
"I know, but it can't be helped."   
"But this is the same thing that we always do, can't it be more interesting?"   
"And how do you propose that we do that?"   
"I don't know, why don't you give some ideas?"   
It had been two years and the pair had yet to figure out something to do that would be fun and occupy a lot of their time. They tried to learn different languages, but that only lead to arguments. They couldn't do anything. Pluto interested herself in watching how fashions changed, and varied in all parts of the world, while Seishi preferred to read books. Whenever they spent time together they each tried so hard to make sure that the other was happy that they both ended up miserable.   
Most of the time they ended up going to separate parts of the void. Pluto made a few rooms to the void. Now they could actually sleep or rest or have privacy, or any such things that a room allowed. They realized that although being alone would drive either of them crazy, so would always being together. Pluto had a life in the realm, while Seishi just studied. At first she studied history, then she realized that the best thing to do in order to understand history would be to learn why people made the choices that they do. The way to do this would be to study human nature. She took examples of people from all over the world and studied their lives   
Doing that took a little more control over the time stream than she had at the time so she enlisted Pluto to help her. And they spent a lot of time together, Pluto teaching Seishi what came as instinct to her. They spent that time just talking. And that in itself was hard. They already knew just about everything about each other.   
Soon they came upon a time where nothing would seem interesting. They had done everything there possibly was together. They had hit a rut.   
"So what are we going to do tonight?"   
"I don't know. Nothing seems fun anymore."   
"I know. Ara, there is a game that they played in the palace when I was younger"   
"So, Seishi- chan dare desu ka?"   
"You may not like it."   
"And, if I don't we won't play."   
"I'm not sure that I like it."   
"Then why'd you mention it?"   
"Because it's the only game that I know that we haven't played. Besides the game is kind of childish."   
"Just tell me."   
"Truth or dare."   
"Okay."   
"Nani?"   
"hai, lets play."   
"Honto?"   
"hai."   
They played for a while, daring each other to do insipid things. And they did do them. Then they started getting to the truths.   
"Seishi- chan, you're turn."   
"Pluto- chan, truth or dare?"   
"Truth."   
"Finally. Okay, um, why did you actually stay? Why didn't you go to be reborn?"   
"I told you, I couldn't leave you alone."   
"Why?"   
"Only one question per turn."   
"Why were you crying?"   
"Because I thought that you left me."   
"Why do I matter that much to you?"   
"One question per turn. Now, why?"   
"Why what?"   
"Don't play stupid. Why didn't you leave? You would have been happy."   
"You think so?"   
"no I ask, now you answer. Why didn't you leave? Why did you stay for me?"   
"Because I couldn't leave you alone. I didn't want to. Because I knew that if I left you when I came back that you would hate me, and I couldn't deal with that. Now why were you crying?"   
"Because I thought that you left me."   
"That can't be all. What were you trying to say when you saw me?"   
"I wanted to say arigato. I knew in my heart that you wouldn't leave except that I wasn't sure. I didn't think that you cared enough about me to put my happiness above your own."   
"Who said that I did that? I didn't only come back so that you wouldn't be lonely. I came back because if you hated me then I would never be able to be happy again."   
"Why?"   
"Because you mean more to me than anything else. I couldn't handle you not talking to me."   
"Why?"   
"Why do you think?"   
"'Because this is love and you never understand it until you've lost it... or are about to.'"   
"I've heard that before."   
"That's why I was crying. Because I didn't realize that you meant so much to me until I realized that you could die. Or leave or something."   
"So you love me?"   
"Only if you love me."   
"Then it's settled, we love each other. Where does that leave us?"   
"Eternity together."   
"Sugoi!"   
The end of part III   
  
  
  



End file.
